Project Consumer Safety

Project Consumer Safety

If you buy a knock-off, down-filled jacket this holiday season, police say you better prepare to have chicken parts attached to the feathers and animal bacteria on the outer shell.
Around the trim, you can expect the fur of German shepherd, they say.
These are just some of the more disturbing examples of what counterfeit apparel brings into the region's homes, especially around the holidays.
Teaming up with York Regional Police, Toronto police yesterday announced the results of Project Consumer Safety, during which about 27 stores were served with cease and desist letters and $3 million worth of products were seized.
Among them was a booth in Markham's Pacific Mall.
Ten people, including two Markham residents, face a combined 47 charges in relation to the seizures.
While people may think counterfeit goods are limited to hats, watches, luxury handbags and designer T-shirts, it's really a wider issue, with products ranging from medication to kids toys, automotive parts to electric goods, police said.
Counterfeiters are not concerned with buyers' safety, only their own profit, Toronto Police Staff Inspector Bryce Evans said.
Some electric items even featured identical packaging to the real products and phoney stamps from inspection agencies.
Despite this, they had not been tested, posed fire risks and were missing important safety instruments that are usually included in the box, police said.
Other items seized included erectile dysfunction drugs, such as Levitra, Cialis and Viagra.
Fake drugs have been found responsible for a number of deaths in Canada, police added.
Staff Insp. Evans also cited a Canadian Chamber of Commerce report that showed 80 per cent of counterfeit items in Canada come from China and 30 per cent of those products represent a risk to buyers' health.
During yesterday's news conference, police showed an eye-opening video in which a number of belts caught fire after being subject to heat from a light bulb.
Other disturbing facts included traces of urine found in clothing dye, phoney Duracell batteries that were already leaking before being removed from the packaging and kids toys that contain chemicals that should never be put in children's mouths.
In addition to York Regional Police, Toronto cops also worked with Peel police, the RCMP and Microsoft.
Charges included fraud, possession of property obtained by crime and selling infringing copy.
Those charged are expected to appear in a Toronto court Dec. 17.